This is the documented grave of a convicted criminal. Information below comes from public records.
William Edward Cook Jr. (Billy Cook)
December 23, 1928 โ December 12, 1952Convicted 1951
Buried at:
Peace Church Cemetery , Joplin, Missouri ยท Unmarked grave per Find a Grave documentation (Peace Church Cemetery)
Criminal History (Public Record)
Convicted of first-degree murder in California for the killing of salesman Robert Misener. Sentenced to death and executed in the gas chamber at San Quentin State Prison on December 12, 1952. His case was one of the most publicized cross-country manhunts of the early 1950s.
Background
William "Billy" Cook was an American spree killer who murdered six people (including a family of five and a traveling salesman) across Missouri, Kansas, and California in a 22-day 1950-1951 rampage.
Sources & Verification
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/ (search William Edward Cook Jr. Joplin Missouri)
Contemporary Joplin Globe, Kansas City Star, and national news coverage of the 1951 manhunt and 1952 trial/execution
California and Missouri court records
All information on this site is drawn from publicly available records. We strongly recommend verifying directly with the cemetery and primary sources before making any decisions.
No other flagged graves found within 5 miles of this location in our current database.